


Difficult to bear

by HuntingDandy (Vintage_lover_who)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Drabble, Established Relationship, Light-Hearted, M/M, Oblivious Hux, Unrequited Crush, jealous!kylo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-24 14:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6157249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vintage_lover_who/pseuds/HuntingDandy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thanisson has developed a crush on General Hux but he is 100% oblivious to it. Kylo Ren on the other hand is perfectly aware of what the boy is doing. Needless to say he doesn’t like it one bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Difficult to bear

**Author's Note:**

> From the moment I saw Petty Officer Thanisson, I knew I wanted him in a fic. Although he wasn’t on camera for more than 2 seconds, I’m very fond of Thomas Brodie-Sangster, so that’s that. Also, I have a terribly soft spot for jealous!Kylo.  
> Also, if you are Steve Rogers, you’ll probably be appalled by some of the language and generally tasteless humour used here.

Since the first moment he had to stand in the same room as Petty Officer Thanisson, Kylo Ren couldn’t tolerate him. There was something about that kid that just put Ren off, and not in the way Hux did. Maybe it was the intense pair of eyes that stared after Hux once the General had turned his back on the boy, or perhaps it was that perfectly combed hair with not a single lock out of place, because come on, no-one could be _that_ perfect.

At first, Kylo had just dismissed it since there was no real reason why the boy might cause such animosity in him. That is until Thanisson started making certain advances of a very unpleasant nature.

“Morning General Hux”, he would greet and wave whenever he and Hux crossed paths.

Thanisson also started making a habit of bringing Hux some caf in the middle of the day. He would offer his stylus pen whenever Hux was in need of one. He would volunteer for each and every task and he would do all of it with a big smile plastered on his face. But most of all, he _stared_ , and it was the staring that drove Kylo mad.

It hadn’t been long since Hux and him had turned their relationship from a merely physical one into something much more complex, and although nobody on the Finaliser knew for sure, Thanisson seemed adamant on ruining it.

Hux of course was completely unaware. He would just take the caf or the stylus or whatever it is the boy had to offer and move on. He would return his greetings politely and he’d sometimes even initiate small talk from time to time, all of it for the sake of a good relationship with his subordinate. Thanisson however seemed entirely unfamiliar with the concept of “work ethics” and interpreted every single sign of attention as an acknowledgment of his intentions.

Kylo had tried his best to stay out of the boy’s mind, mostly out of disgust than respect, until one day in which he was pacing on the bridge while Hux supervised whatever the hell it was he did. The little rascal had just started his staring and promptly called Hux’s attention towards his monitor, pointing at the screen and commenting on the shifts presented on it. Hux listened attentively and made comments of his own, and that was the moment when Kylo thought _why not?_

Huge mistake. Kylo could sense the emotions rushing through Thanisson’s brain, resonating against each other. He could feel the admiration, the respect, but also the giddiness and the nervousness at the proximity of his General. Ren caught a glimpse of a few of Thanisson’s memories involving Hux, feeling his blood boiling as he relieved some of those memories through Thanisson’s eyes. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Without a single warning, Kylo stormed out of the bridge, leaving every employee perplexed and Hux merely sighing. He had just been trying to assess how a young Petty Officer –and _petty_ he was indeed– perceived his General and he’d found very uncomfortable feelings there, so he decided that using his lightsabre against one of the consoles was perfectly justified.

You see, it didn’t really bother Ren that Thanisson had an unhealthy crush on Hux rather than the fact that the feelings he had witnessed were similar to those of Ren. It was obvious that Thanisson’s crush paled in comparison of what Kylo felt for Hux, yet he couldn’t help but being angry at the boy’s nerve. Hux was a General after all…

*****

Life went on as uneventfully as usual on the Finaliser. Ren still sulked around and glared at people from behind his mask but everything was very much normal. He was having a particularly boring day when he found Hux briefing four of his officers on the bridge, Thanisson amongst them. The kid was all formality but it was obvious in the way he leant forward that he was interested in something more than the numbers Hux was explaining.

Once the very brief meeting was over, everybody retreated to their stations, except for the boy. Thanisson remained asking questions and chatting Hux up. The kid was bright-eyed and smiling, clutching his hands nervously when he wasn’t using them to over-emphasise his words. Hux on his part was politely answering, as closed as usual.

It took only one moment of distraction, a sudden movement catching Kylo’s eye, for things to escalate; when Ren turned back, Thanisson was laughing and Hux had a broad smile on his face. Alarms blared in Ren’s mind. How dare that kid make Hux smile? That was a privilege reserved for Kylo. The knight was so riled up that he strode towards the pair of them without even thinking.

“General”, he saluted, interrupting whatever Hux was about to say and pointedly ignoring Thanisson, who immediately schooled his expression.

“Ren”, responded Hux raising a brow.

“May I have a word…in private?”

This time, the distinction was much more obvious and Thanisson excused himself. Hux glared at Ren.

“Well, you have my attention. What is so important that you have to scare the boy like that?”

“I need you to report to me the progress of the search for Skywalker”.

Hux looked sceptically at the knight. “As I have already told you plenty of times, if anything comes up, you’ll be the first to be informed. So far, we’re exactly at the same stage we were this morning that you asked and yesterday and the day before!” finished the General, storming out.

Ren knew Hux was angry; his question had been pointless but it was the only thing that had come to mind. He also knew that this might mean Hux would deny him his company, but Kylo wasn’t too worried about that. After all, he had gotten what he wanted.

*****

“He likes you, you know?” commented Kylo as he lied on his stomach on Hux’s bed, fiddling with one of the sheet’s corners.

“What?” came Hux’s voice from the 'fresher.

“Thanisson, I mean. He likes you”.

“Oh, I certainly hope he does. Obedience is better guaranteed when your subordinates esteem you”.

Kylo rolled his eyes. “Not in _that_ way. The creepy way”.

Hux laughed wholeheartedly. “You’re just bored and making things up in your head. Who’s next on your conspiracy theory, Phasma?”

Ren smiled in spite of himself; Hux’s laugh tended to have that effect on him. He worried the sheet between his fingers a bit more before speaking.

“I’m just saying it’s pretty obvious”.

The light of the 'fresher was turned off. Hux strode out with a towel around his hips and flopped on the bed beside Kylo, kissing him on the shoulder.

“Relax, nutter. You’re the only one who actually finds me hot”.

*****

It was the celebration of another cycle completed on board of the Finaliser. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits and the banquet prepared for the occasion was of a more than acceptable quality. Alcohol was available as well and both officers and underlings were enjoying themselves.

Kylo was sitting at the officer’s table, helmet off and resting his head on his hand. Phasma and Hux were dancing but he didn’t really feel like it; he needed to be actually drunk for it. The song finished and both the General and the Captain went back to their seats, each on every side of Ren, smiles on their faces. It wasn’t long before the three engaged on light-hearted conversation.

So they were when Thanisson came up to them, standing awkwardly beside Hux, a shy smile on his face. If it had been possible for Kylo to glare harder, he would have.

“Hello, General”, he started. “I hope I am not interrupting”.

“Not at all, Thanisson”, Hux replied. It was slightly evident he’d had a considerable amount of alcohol by the flush on his cheeks.

“Come sit with us”, added Phasma, pointing at the sit in front of them. Thanisson smiled gratefully and took the seat. Ren hadn’t taken his eyes off him.

“You’re all very kind. And I’m a massive fan of your work, Captain. Your reports on the field are a delight to read”.

Phasma laughed and tipped her glass in Thanisson’s direction. “Well you have excellent taste, young man”.

The boy bowed his head. “It’s hard not to when working with such professional people”.

Phasma smiled again and soon the three of them had started a passionate talk on all the good things of working on the Finaliser. Ren was merely watching the action unfold, disgust curling in his gut. Then Thanisson unexpectedly addressed him.

“Master Ren, you haven’t uttered a single word! Don’t you like working on the Finaliser?”

Kylo was about to reply in some sarcastic manner when Hux nudged him, the beautiful blush on his face making him look even younger.

“Yes Ren, don’t you like us? Or are you intending to ask for a raise?”

Everyone laughed at that except Ren, whose patience was running real low but before he could say anything, Thanisson cleared his throat.

“I hope this is not too forthright, General, but I couldn’t help noticing how good of a dancer you are, and I was wondering if you would grant me the next dance”.

Ren felt all the blood drain from his face, as for Hux, it seemed as if all of his’ had gone to his cheeks. He was at a loss for what to say, debating himself between being polite or letting the boy down. Time seemed to stop.

Here’s what many people didn’t know: Hux had always had trouble with saying _no_ ; he couldn’t say no to his father’s projects, to his mother’s demands, and he was so skilful that it usually worked. But in the field of personal relationships, that was simply unacceptable and Kylo wasn’t going to let Hux’s insecurities –and drunkenness– take him down a path he could later regret. He also wasn’t going to seat around while a boy that could be his damn younger sibling tried to dance with _his_ General. So before Hux could answer, he grabbed the man’s hand and stood up.

“Actually, the General had already promised me this dance”, he spat, pulling Hux up and dragging him to the dancefloor. The redhead was completely shocked and could do nothing but follow Kylo’s lead.

All eyes were on them as they glided along to the music. Kylo wasn’t a great dancer and Hux was past gracefulness at the time, but the crew wasn’t certainly judging the technique. It was true everyone speculated on the nature of their relationship, though nobody knew what to think for sure; all Hux and Ren did before their crew was bicker and this just seemed completely out of character.

Kylo could stand the stares for only one song, after which he exited the hall with a very confused and not-so-pleased Hux. Once inside the General’s quarters, Kylo collapsed on the couch, pressing his knees against his chest and trying to regain his breath. Everything had happened so quickly… He just hoped Hux would let it go.

“What the heck is wrong with you? Have you gone insane?!”

So no chance of letting it go. Ren sighed. “Nothing and no. I was simply saving you the awkwardness of dancing with your younger brother”.

“What?! Thanisson is not…oh please, be serious!”

“I _am_ being serious!” replied Ren, standing up. “That kid was attempting very obvious advances on you”.

“What are you…does this have anything to do with that fucked-up theory of yours?”

“It’s not a theory if it’s confirmed and today I got the confirmation”.

Hux covered his face with his hands in exasperation. “I am his General!”

“Exactly! That’s exactly what I mean”

“It was just a dance”

“Oh, it’s always _just a dance_. And then it’s _just_ a little closer and then _just_ a kiss and if everything goes according to plan, then later it might be _just_ the ti-”

“Shut up!” Hux yelled, covering his ears. “That is definitely not a mental image I needed. Thanisson is nothing but a colleague and now everyone must be wondering what the heck _you and me_ are!”

“For Force’s sake, everyone was blind drunk! And weren’t you the one who said it was all _just_ a dance?”

Hux shook his head. “I’m not having this conversation with you”.

Ren huffed. “You’d rather be having it with Thanisson?”

“Oh, this can’t be real!” said Hux, looking at the ceiling as if asking for metaphysical help. “For the umpteenth time, he doesn’t like me!”

“How do you know?” started Ren. “You’re terrible at reading people in these circumstances! You are such an idiot when it comes to people liking you that you couldn’t even tell that _I_ liked you!”

“You wear a fucking mask”, retorted Hux, jamming his finger into Kylo’s chest. “And now apparently I will have to wear one too since the entire Finaliser saw us dancing together!”

“Well I personally believe it’s best they saw you dancing with someone of your rank and your age instead of a barely legal Petty Officer!”

“Well perhaps it was preferable they saw me with that barely legal Petty Officer who at least doesn’t try to antagonise or kill me on a daily basis!”

Kylo closed his mouth abruptly before nodding. Hux’s eyes were wide and he extended a hand forward when the knight passed him by, rushing to the door.

“Ren, wait. I didn’t mean that…” started the General but Kylo didn’t stop, closing the door behind him. Hux lets himself fall to the ground, head on his hands and wishing he knew when to shut up.

*****

The next day, Hux entered Ren’s room quietly. The knight was already in bed, facing the door with his back. Hux stood in front of the bed with a bouquet of ladalums* in his hand.  He cleared his throat but Kylo didn’t move.

“Hey, I…I came here to apologise for yesterday. I didn’t mean what I said. I was just worried I’d lose the crew’s respect if they saw vulnerability in me”, started Hux, refraining from looking at Kylo as he went on. “Surely you don’t need me to explain who brings that vulnerability out”.

Ren remained quiet for a while before sighing and finally sitting up facing Hux, still not meeting his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to advertise our… _whatever_ , to the crew. And I supposed I got a bit carried away with the whole Thanisson business”.

Hux smiled and tilted his head. “You know, I won’t be angry if you call it _‘relationship’_. It’d be the accurate term, after all”.

That caught Kylo’s attention and for the first time since the conversation started, he looked properly at Hux.

“Those are…”

“Ladalums, yes”.

“And how did you-”

“I pay attention to what you say, believe it or not”.

Kylo finally smiled back, making way for Hux to lie in his bed. The General placed the flowers on a bedside table and took the offer. They stared at each other for a while, enjoying companionable silence until Hux’s brow furrowed.

“I really regret saying those things”, he said in a low voice.

“It’s fine. I probably overreacted. Besides, I actually feel bad about Thanisson now. He’s never going to be this close to you”, replied Ren, situating himself over Hux, who smiled and caressed his arms.

“You really have something against him”.

“I don’t know; maybe he just reminds me of you a bit”.

“Don’t be stupid”, dismissed Hux, setting his hands on Ren’s waist. “I was much more handsome”.

Kylo smiled. “That I know for sure”, he said before giving Hux the most breath-taking kiss he could muster.

 

**Author's Note:**

> *Laudalum’s story is actually quite beautiful. They’re supposed to be red blooming flowers native to Alderaan that abounded in the Solo household. So my headcanon is that they’re Kylo’s favourite flowers since they remind him of home and of course Hux would be attentive enough to remember.
> 
> On a side-note, the final chapter of "Under the Skin" is already in post-production so fear not, I haven't abandoned it. I just can't seem to stop writing about these idiots.


End file.
